The Search
by Lorr
Summary: Elizabeth and Teyla are kidnapped during trade negotations on farming planet. Sheppard and Ronon go undercover to try to find them.
1. Chapter 1

**Title:** The Search

**Author:** Lorr

**Genre/Rating:** Drama

**Characters:** Sheppard, Ronon, Weir, Teyla, minor McKay, Lorne, Caldwell

**Disclaimer:** The Stargate universe and character do not belong to me. I'm just borrowing them.

**Spoilers:** I cannot think of any

**Note:** This takes place sometime during season three before Sunday. Reviews are always welcome. Please be honest so that I know if I am on track. I sometimes jump on flights of fancy. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy it.

"It's Col. Sheppard's IDC, Rodney." Zelenka read the computer screen. He turned and nodded at the technician sitting at the Gate control console. A second later the shield dissolved.

McKay ran down the stairs as Sheppard, Ronon and two Marines emerged from the puddle. He stopped abruptly at the bottom step and tried in vain to compose himself. His team mates warily looked around the area, sensing something was wrong. McKay did not run unless he absolutely had to.

"Rodney?" Sheppard made a beeline for McKay as he shrugged off his vest and handed it and his P-90 to one of the Marines. "What happened?"

"Colonel. We need to talk." The astrophysicist turned and ran back up the stairs.

Sheppard and Ronon exchanged glances and followed him, taking the stairs two at a time. McKay turned back to them once they entered the conference room.

"You know Elizabeth and Teyla went to M5R-723." He started then stopped and half turned away.

"Spill it, Rodney." Sheppard became very concerned.

McKay turned back again. It appeared as if he would burst but was trying his utmost to maintain control. He handed two folded sheets of paper to the Colonel. "They were kidnapped this morning."

Sheppard's eyes narrowed momentarily as he took the papers. The top sheet was in a language he didn't know, but the second in was English. He began to read. "Where did this come from?"

"It was stuffed into Lt. Rollins vest. The second is the translation."

"_We have tried for many years to convince the landowners and council of our determination, and have been forced to take this drastic action. We do not wish to harm anyone, but if the authorities try to follow or find us, the hostages will die. Dr. Weir and Teyla Emmagan will remain here. You must leave immediately. If even one of your people tries to stay or returns, the hostages will die. Our demands are simple. The landowners and Council know our terms. We want full amnesty and equal rights on Caldea or to be allowed to leave in peace. The decision must be posted on the Town Hall doors by one hour after dawn on rest day next. When our demands are met the hostages will be freed unharmed."_

As he finished reading, a young man appeared in the doorway with Maj. Lorne behind him. The Lieutenant snapped to attention.

"Please tell me this is a bad joke." Sheppard closed his eyes and rubbed the side of his forehead with his fingertips.

"I'm sorry, Sir, it isn't a joke."

Sheppard opened his eyes again and perched on the edge of the table. "At ease, Lieutenant. Report."

Rollins took a deep breath. "It was an ambush, Sir. The dissidents knew where we would be and…"

"What dissidents?" Sheppard interrupted him, holding up the notes. He was fighting to speak with an even tone. "The reports from previous contacts didn't mention anything about any kind of rebel activity. What the hell is going on there?"

The young man glanced at Lorne, who nodded almost imperceptibly, before he continued. "Colonel, it seems there has been political unrest for some time the Caldeans didn't tell us about. Apparently, refugees from Wraith cullings on other planets have settled there for many years. I don't know for sure how many there are, but it's at least a couple of hundred. They'd lost everything on their home worlds. Some of the more affluent inhabitants of Caldea hired them, so to speak. The terms of their jobs are not good. On top of that, a majority of the inhabitants are pretty much kept impoverished by a small group of landowners."

Ronon had been leaning against the door post. He stepped forward to speak, his deep voice making the young man jump. "Sounds like slave labor to me. I've seen it before."

Rollins nodded. "You could say that, Sir. The refugees and many Caldeans are treated almost like slaves and most of the rest of them are living hand to mouth. Few own land or businesses, Sir. And, leaving Caldea is…uh…discouraged. The Gate is guarded 24/7."

"Why didn't we know this before?" Sheppard asked with barely contained anger.

"The politicians there didn't seem to consider it an issue, Sir. I doubt they would ever have mentioned it." Rollins frowned in thought. "I only found out as much as I did because one of the constables that took my team back to the Gate seemed to be a little sympathetic towards these people."

"And, they decided to do something about it today." Sheppard said flatly. He needed a moment to think. "Okay, what happened?"

----------

"Dr. Weir, Teyla Emmagan, we are honored with your visit." The elderly man smiled as he bowed his head respectfully. The two middle-aged men flanking him bowed more deeply from the waist.

Elizabeth and Teyla also bowed their heads and smiled. "Thank you, Prime Minister Dullon. It is a pleasure to meet you. We appreciate the opportunity to establish trade relations with the people of Caldea."

"Please, come with me. The Council has gathered." Dullon turned and began to climb the few stairs into the substantial stone building that housed the governing body of the planet.

"Fuller, Taylor, Samuels, hang out here." Lt. Rollins signaled his three team members to remain outside. They nodded and he followed Elizabeth and Teyla.

They passed a room that vaguely reminded Elizabeth of a lecture hall in college. A mini-stadium of three tiers of seats for about sixty people created a semicircle focusing on a large desk. The upper tier was set back a little, as if for observers. The Prime Minister told them it was their assembly room. He led them further along the hallway into a smaller room. Five men sitting around a conference table hurriedly stood up. Each bowed formally as they were introduced.

"Dr. Weir, Teyla Emmagan, this is Agricultural Minister Dessan, Cultural Minister Eloral, Education Minister Sandap, Security Minister Nathal and Industry Minister Hodda." Two attendants pulled out chairs for Elizabeth and Teyla. "Please sit down."

They all settled around the table. It was decorated with small vases of colorful flowers and a large bowl of what looked like fruit. Three trays with carafes of water and other beverages and glasses filled the gaps between the vases. Drinks were quickly offered and accepted.

Some time later, Rollins slowly regained consciousness to the firm shaking by Taylor. The young woman's voice was steady but angry.

She was relieved when his eyes focused on her. "Lt. Rollins! Sir, Dr. Weir and Teyla have been snatched."

Rollins sat up, and immediately regretted the movement. His head felt like it was being crushed in a vice. He looked around the room and saw Dullon, Nathal, Sandap and Eloral still lying on the floor with several other Caldeans attending them.

"How long have I been out?" He struggled to stand.

Taylor helped him up. "Don't know for sure, Sir. It's been about an hour and a half since you came inside. It was only a few minutes ago that one of the Caldeans came running out, yelling that two of the ministers and the visitors had been kidnapped."

"Damn it, that means we had to be out at least an hour. Last thing I remember is sitting down and drinking…" He looked at the table. "The drinks must be drugged. Any sign of them, Sergeant?"

"No, Sir, but Fuller and Samuels are taking a quick look around with a couple of the local constables." She handed him a sheet of paper. "This was tucked into your vest, Sir."

Rollins staggered to the table and sat down. He frowned at the paper. "What the hell does it say?"

----------

"As soon as they translated it, Sir, we were…escorted, to put it politely, back to the Gate." The Lieutenant fidgeted. "Colonel, Prime Minister Dullon had another note pinned to his coat. It looked a lot longer, Sir. I think it had more detailed instructions. The Security Minister, Nathal, called all his people off the search as soon as they read the note."

"And, they didn't think it was necessary to mention the danger before now?" McKay was livid. Only a stern look from Sheppard had kept him quiet while Rollins related the story.

"It was like most of them thought that there was no real danger, Dr. McKay. They've had some trouble before now, but I was told it was minor, vandalism, theft, fist-fights. The only one who didn't seem surprised was Nathal. The others didn't consider these people capable of organizing anything this big, especially a kidnapping of four people from their Town Hall. There must have been more than a few people on the inside to pull this off without causing a ruckus. The constable that talked to me on the way back to the Gate said the landowners didn't seem to be worried that a large percentage of their people are very poor and getting poorer." Rollins' voice was strained, his distress clear. "Colonel, this guy said he thought the rebels were desperate enough to carry out their threats."

"What did this Dullon say about giving into the demands?" Sheppard asked quietly.

Rollins shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Sir. I don't think most of them really believe the rebels will go through with it. Dullon and Nathal were arguing over it. They both wanted us gone, but for different reasons. At one point, Nathal pretty much said 'I told you so', but Dullon wasn't so sure the threat is real."

Sheppard exhaled heavily. "Great."

"Well, what are we going to do?" McKay demanded. He looked from Sheppard to Ronon and back again. "We can't just sit here and do nothing!"

"I'm sorry, Sir. I take full responsibility." The Lieutenant said flatly.

"There was nothing anyone could have done under the circumstances, Lieutenant. Let it go." Sheppard gently dismissed the Lieutenant's guilt. He stared at the notes in his hand for a long time before looking over at Ronon. "We can't go charging in there with guns blazing. We'll have to keep it low key. Only concealable weapons. Twenty minutes."

Ronon nodded in acknowledgement and quickly left. Sheppard pushed away from the table and headed for the door. McKay, Lorne and Rollins hurried to keep up with him.

"Where are you going?" McKay was almost yelling. "You just said you can't go charging in there! What are you going to do?"

The Colonel stopped abruptly and spun on him. The cold anger in his voice was chilling. "It'll be just Ronon and me. I want to know what's going on."

He turned again, and ran down the stairs before anyone could protest.

----------

"Rodney! Dial it!"

Sheppard looked up at the Gate operations deck. He was standing with Ronan at the foot of the main stairs. Even though they had cleaned up and changed clothes, both were still unshaven. Sheppard was dressed in nondescript, dark colored civilian clothes with a heavy coat. In a further departure from the military, he was not carrying a P-90. Instead, he slipped a Wraith stunner into a holster slung under his left arm then pulled a small pistol from behind his back and dropped to his right knee. The weapon fit snugly into a holster on the inside of his left ankle, hidden by the loose trouser leg.

Ronon's appearance was different as well. His partially armored long coat had been replaced by a shorter, heavy cloth one. He also wore a thick, hand woven shirt. His weapon was tucked away under the coat, undetectable to even the most practiced eye.

They both carried small bags slung over their shoulders. The bags were packed with a single change of clothes similar to those they wore, completing the image of two men who had been on the road for some time.

"You can't! You heard what the Lieutenant said! If anyone goes after them, they'll be killed." McKay stood at the rail and looked down at the two men waiting at foot of the stairs. He was of two minds, but decided that he had to stop the Colonel and Ronon leaving.

"That's why we're going alone. These guys haven't seen us before. Dial it." Sheppard's voice was more than firm. He was right. They could be travelers from any planet.

Lorne approached them. He was obviously unhappy with the situation. "Sir?"

"I know. The Daedalus will be in radio range tomorrow, but she'll take more than two days to get to Caldea. She'll get there too late. Just let Col. Caldwell know what happened." Sheppard looked from Lorne up to McKay. "Dial it, Rodney."

The astrophysicist folded his arms over his chest in a show of defiance. "No."

Sheppard stared at him for several seconds. He glanced at Lt. Rollins. "Go dial it, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Sir!" The young man nodded and ran up the stairs. He stepped around McKay and quickly dialed the address on the DHD. Before he could hit the activation key, McKay turned and pushed him out of the way.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"McKay!" Sheppard yelled from the Gate Room floor. When the astrophysicist held his ground, Sheppard closed his eyes. A muscle in his jaw twitched. Everyone in the area jumped as the event horizon formed. He opened his eyes again and exhaled heavily.

After the briefest hesitation, McKay hit the shield control. He glared down at the two men in defiance. Sheppard glanced at Ronon and jerked his head toward the Gate. They began to walk toward the event horizon.

"Sir." Lorne stepped forward, not understanding where they were going with the shield up.

Sheppard stopped Ronon a few feet from the shimmering disk. He shrugged off his coat and holster together, taking care not to show the weapon, and carefully draped it over one arm. The knitted tunic he wore was snug enough to show there were no weapons hidden underneath. "Major, you have your orders."

"Colonel, you can't…" McKay pleaded as he ran down the stairs. "At least let me come with you."

"No, Rodney. Stay here." Sheppard looked at the astrophysicist.

"They won't be expecting just two men." Ronon observed impatiently.

Lorne knew it was hopeless, but tried to dissuade his CO. "Sir, you should at least wait for the Daedalus."

"No, we can't risk it. No-one follows us. That's an order." He took a deep breath and quickly glanced around the Gate room. "We'll be back as soon as we can."

The shield dissolved. Sheppard and Ronon stepped through the puddle, which disappeared almost immediately.

Lorne stared at the Gate as he asked the question to which he already knew the answer. "Who…?"

"Sheppard." McKay was looking up at the operations deck. Rollins was standing at the rail, hands out and shaking his head.

"Crap."

McKay turned to the Major. "You're not going after them, are you?"

Lorne looked at him like he had just grown a second head. "No."

"Crap."

They started towards the stairs to the ops deck, but before they left the Gate room floor a young Sergeant ran in. He almost stumbled as he stopped in front of the Major.

"Sir!" He looked around. "Col. Sheppard and Ronon haven't left yet, have they?"

Lorne frowned. "Yes, why?"

The young man gulped and held out his hands. "They left these in the armory, Sir."

The two glanced down, then at each other. The Sergeant was holding out radios and ear transceivers, IDC generators, as well as Sheppard's watch and dog tags.

"That's everything that could identify the Colonel as military." Lorne's mouth compressed into a tight line. "Or let us contact them."

"Why leave them behind?"

"They're probably worried about being searched. These would be easily identifiable."

"But, the weapons..." McKay started to ask then it dawned on him. He nodded. "…aren't standard issue. Right. Elizabeth and Teyla have radios."

He looked hopefully at the Major.

Lorne shook his head. "Whoever has them would've taken their radios, IDCs and any weapons. We'll just have to hope the Daedalus finds them in time."

McKay and Lorne looked at each other again. "Crap."

----------

The brightest stars were visible in the sky above Caldea, and twilight was fading rapidly. With each second that passed, more stars twinkled into view. The air was still and clear but cold. Sheppard and Ronon emerged from the event horizon as if nothing was amiss. Their attitude was one of tired wariness, as was typical of travelers in this time of marauding Wraith.

"Halt!" A tall, thin guard challenged the strangers. Sheppard was close enough to Ronon to nudge his arm before the latter could move to draw his weapon. The half-dozen guards in a semicircle a little further away were cautious, crossbows aimed in their direction. Two more guards shone lanterns at them. They watched closely as one of the strangers shivered and pulled on his coat. "Identify yourselves and your business on Caldea."

Sheppard wasn't sure if anyone had mentioned his name as the commanding officer. He decided to play it safe. "I'm Han, and this is Chewie. We're from a small settlement on Endor. There was a Wraith culling on our planet a few months ago and we're looking for some of our people that escaped."

"So, you're hoping they might have come here." An older guard approached, sizing them up in the faint light. This one had stripes on his sleeves where the younger guard had none.

"Yeah. Have you heard of anyone coming from there?" Sheppard allowed some of the anxiety and weariness he felt creep into his voice.

The older man looked them up and down again for several seconds. He seemed to be deciding whether they were a threat to his people or just as they claimed, travelers looking for survivors of a Wraith attack. He decided these men were not military, maybe once, but not now. They were unshaven and unkempt. Sheppard yawned and rubbed the stubble on his cheek. The spontaneous gesture seemed to sell the story.

"Never heard of it, but we get folk coming and going, so that means nothing." The guard pointed down the road. "Town's that way. You can ask around there. Best be watchful, though. There's been a few reprobates roaming about the countryside at night."

"Thanks. We'll watch out." Sheppard said as he looked in the direction indicated. "Can you recommend somewhere to get a meal and a place to sleep?"

The younger guard relaxed, reassured now that his superior had passed favorable judgment on the strangers. "Yeah, a couple. Rolth's or Dunan's are two of the better. They're just off the main street to the south past the Town Hall."

The older guard growled. "Constable Norval, who gave you leave to speak?"

Norval snapped to attention. "Sorry, Sir."

"Thanks." Ronon's deep voice rumbled as the two of them walked away. After about a hundred yards, when he was certain they were alone, he glanced at the Colonel. "Han? Chewie?"

Sheppard spoke softly. "Characters in a movie. We don't know if anyone here has heard our names."

It was almost fully dark when they walked into a good-sized town. From what they knew, about six thousand people lived in the vicinity of the Gate on Caldea. They also knew the town was big enough for around four thousand inhabitants. The remainder lived on the farms surrounding it. They were going to need to get very lucky to find the hostages in time.

----------

Elizabeth opened her eyes slowly. She was on a narrow bed, covered by two heavy blankets. She pulled them around her shoulders as she sat up and looked around the small space. The coat she wore for the negotiations was not heavy enough for the cold she now felt. The building did not seem to have any heating to keep out the cold. A narrow crack in a boarded up window high in one wall allowed little light into the room, and that quickly faded. The only other light came from a slightly less narrow crack under the door.

Her head throbbed and her mouth was dry. Elizabeth assumed they were after effects of the drug used to knock her out. She could barely see a bowl, a small jug and cup on a small table near the bed. The food in the bowl seemed harmless, but the thought of eating made her nauseous. The jug appeared to contain only water. Hopefully, it was only water. She poured some in the cup and drank it slowly.

After her head cleared a little, Elizabeth got up, went to the door and listened. There was no noise, so she tried it. It was definitely locked. The room was only about eight by eight feet. It was bare wood from top to bottom. Any paint that might have been on the walls was long gone. It could be anywhere from fifty to hundreds of years old. There was no way out other than the door.

Elizabeth walked to the door and listened for a minute. When she heard muffled noises from the other side, she pounded on it with a closed fist. "Hello! Is anyone there?"

Seconds later, a key turned in the lock and the door opened. Elizabeth backed away as she tried to make out the features of the large man and woman entering the room. The woman's face was in shadow with the light behind her. She silently replaced the food bowl with another and filled the jug from one she carried. The man stopped in the doorway for only a moment before bowing his head and disappearing. A moment later, another man, of middle-age and average size, entered and bowed deeply. He carried a lit candle which he placed on the table. The big man stood just outside the door, as if to protect the new arrival.

"Who are you? Where are my people? What do you want with us?" Elizabeth tried to sound authoritative but the lingering effects of the drug made it difficult.

"Dr. Weir." He stated simply.

She stood next to the table. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"

"Please sit down. I will explain." When she didn't move, he took a single step forward. "Dr. Weir, please."

She glanced at the bed and slowly sat on the edge.

He bowed again, but only his head. "Thank you. My name is Janen. I arranged for you to be brought here."

"Why? Where are my people?" Elizabeth fought to keep her composure. Her head still ached.

"Only you and Teyla Emmagan are our guests. The rest of your people were escorted to the Ancestral Ring and allowed to return home. They were unharmed." Janen glanced back at the door. The woman returned with two steaming cups on a tray. She offered them to Elizabeth, who hesitantly took one. Janen took the other and the woman left. He sipped some of the hot liquid. "Please drink. It is only hot tea and will help your feel better. I am sorry the drug we used has caused you discomfort."

She held it with both hands, but did not drink.

"I assure you, it is only harmless herbal tea. I will take some to prove it if that will convince you." He reached out to take the cup.

Elizabeth shook her head once and sipped. "What do you want with us?"

"First, I want to apologize for needing to involve you in our struggle." He paused, expecting her to respond. When she remained silent, he continued. "Over the years, many people have come to this planet when their own was decimated by the Wraith. The handful of survivors from my own world came here almost fifty years ago. I was quite young. We had hopes to start a new life, but the landowners here took advantage of our plight.

"Once in their employ, we were kept virtual prisoners by low pay and high prices. It did not take long for us to be in their debt. The situation has gradually worsened ever since. We are not allowed to leave and cannot work our way out of the debt."

Elizabeth had listened in silence. She held the hot cup tightly, sipping a little at a time. The tea was warming her whole body and helping to clear her head.

"Why did you kidnap us?" She asked even though she already knew the answer.

Janen thought for a moment. "We did not know what else to do. You walked through town, but you have not seen the real Caldea. Just a short distance from the main street and square the town looks very different. The population is poor. Some still own their businesses, but not many. They rely on the landowners for much of their food and the materials for their trade. Bakers, weavers, carpenters and other artisans get the raw materials of their trade from them.

"We have negotiated, or tried to, for years to be allowed to have our own land, further from the town, or to leave and find a world of our own." He paused. "I am sorry we involved you and your companion, but we had no option."

"Some of your leaders weren't enough, were they? You needed a different leverage." She said flatly.

He nodded. "Yes. We have two of the ministers in our care, but they would not be enough. We have seen your weapons and hope that fear of your people will sway the landowners and the council."

"What happens if they don't comply?"

"I pray to the Ancestors they do. A number of our people are on the verge of rebellion. Violence would bring injury and death to many on both sides." Janen's seriousness was all too evident. He took a step back. "Dr. Weir, I explained our situation to you as a courtesy. I will do the same for your friend. Please understand that we are desperate. We do not wish to harm you in any way, but I must warn you that if you try to escape or draw attention to this place, we will take steps to restrain you and keep you quiet. Please follow any orders given by the attendants."

"How do I know that you have Teyla and she is alright?" Elizabeth set the cup on the table but remained seated.

"You will need to take my word for it." He exhaled heavily.

"My people will come looking for us."

"You have been here for much of the day, Dr. Weir. None of your people have come through the Ancestral Ring. They have been warned not to try to rescue you." Janen moved toward the door. "We believe we were able to convince them."


	2. Chapter 2

Sheppard and Ronon walked slowly through the town. Weak streetlamps revealed little movement by the locals, and that was just to see them hurry to their destinations. The few they saw barely acknowledged the strangers' existence. Puffs of vapor marked their breaths as they passed through the lamplight.

A patrol of four constables approached them. One of them jerked his head towards the buildings. "You should be off the street."

"Can you point out Rolth's to us, Officer?" Sheppard asked, looking around.

The guard pointed to a modest, two-story building. "I suggest you don't loiter out here."

"Thanks." Sheppard nodded as he and Ronon turned and towards it.

"These people are scared." Ronon observed as the patrol continued on its way.

Sheppard said dryly. "With both rebels and repressive landowners making their lives miserable, I don't wonder why."

"Yeah."

The Colonel spoke softly as they neared the tavern. "Let's get something to eat."

Rolth's was the only place around that had more than minimal light coming from the windows. It wasn't well lit by any standard, but it was brighter than the other buildings on the street. Inside, the reception was one of contained curiosity mixed with suspicion. There were about a dozen patrons seated in groups around a few tables near the substantial fireplace and three men at a ten foot long bar.

The innkeeper behind the bar straightened up from a conversation with two men. He looked Sheppard and Ronon over with a cautious eye then nodded an acceptance. They sat at a table near the end of the bar and, within seconds, a woman put large mugs of beer in front of them. She could have been anywhere from fifteen to thirty years old. Like so many people Sheppard had seen in Pegasus, lives of hard work and the continual threat of the Wraith aged them early. The need to rebuild every few generations was far from easy, even if your generation escaped culling.

"Somethin' to eat, gentlemen?" She asked in a light voice. She was plain, but had lively eyes that suggested a good nature. They were also full of curiosity. "We got stew or roast bird and root vegetables. I made them this day."

"Sounds good. I'll take the roast, please." Sheppard raised an eyebrow at Ronon.

"Both." He swallowed half of the beer.

She hesitated. "Don't mean to disrespect you, Sir, but you're strangers and I need to see coin."

"Of course. Do you accept these?" Sheppard pulled a dozen coins of varying sizes and metals out of his pocket. The off-world teams had been able to collect a tidy sum of money on their excursions through the Gate. They discovered many planets accepted currency from other planets as part of the trading process. She seemed to be satisfied and took two from his hand.

The Colonel sniffed his beer as Ronon drained the rest of his. He carefully sipped and found it a little on the sweet side, but palatable. They sat quietly until the food and a refill for Ronon arrived. The conversations around them were centered on family and work, but stilted in the presence of the strangers.

Ronon took his cue from Sheppard, but it was not much of a stretch. They were both tired from the mission they had returned from that afternoon. Three days of surveying a large system of cave dwellings on an abandoned planet left them with the appearance of men wandering from place to place, trying to find family and friends. They had a good appetite and ate with relish, but their body language conveyed the weariness they felt.

Ronon sopped up the last of the gravy with dense, crusty bread and pushed away the second plate. He picked up the beer mug, drank the last few swallows then turned to the innkeeper and held it up. A few seconds later, the young woman walked over with a jug. She filled his mug then turned to Sheppard.

"No, thank you." He shook his head and smiled at her.

She checked to see what the man behind the bar was doing. When she saw he was distracted, she looked back at them. "You two came through the Ring of the Ancestors, didn't you?"

"Yes, Ma'am. We're from Endor. Our planet was culled by the Wraith a few months ago. We know some of our people escaped and we're trying to find them. Have you heard of anyone called Thelma or Louise?"

"Happenin' more and more." She shook her head slowly, sympathy in her voice. "Sorry. Never heard those names or of your planet. Don't know that we've had too many folk come through the Ring of the Ancestors in recent times that have stayed. Mostly we get only them that come to trade, but you can ask around."

The Colonel shrugged. "Thanks. Not very many people have heard of Endor."

"How did you escape?" She glanced at the barkeeper again. She was the most openly curious of anyone so far.

Ronan looked at Sheppard. "We were off-world."

"Yeah. We were on a week-long trading expedition. By the time we got back, almost everyone was gone and there was little left of our village and farms. A few stayed behind in case any of our people returned." Sheppard nodded towards Ronon. "Chewie and I have been looking ever since."

"You must be needing a place to sleep. We got but one room to rent."

"That's fine. We're grateful not to be sleeping on the ground again."

"How long do you reckon on staying?"

"Not long. A day or two." Sheppard scratched the stubble on his cheek.

The woman's face clouded briefly and she bit her lip. Sheppard felt she wanted to say something, but didn't want to push her. Instead, he pulled out more money and offered it to her.

"How much do we owe you for the room?"

"Thank you, Sir. This'll get your morning and mid-day meals, too." She took four coins and pointed to the stairs on the other side of the bar. "Go to the top of the stairs. It's the door on the right. It faces the street, but it is quiet."

Sheppard smiled warmly. "I don't think anything could keep us awake tonight."

"Wash room's down that hallway, other side of the bar. I'll put towels out for you." She set the jug on the table and gathered the plates. When she reached for the jug again, Ronon put his hand on it.

"We're obliged." Ronon said.

The woman nodded and began to turn. She stopped and looked from Sheppard to Ronon and back. "The key's in the lock. Use it."

"Verna!" The barkeeper frowned at them. "No time to stand around and talk."

"Wasn't just talking, Father. These men are here to look for lost family. They wanted a room." She hurried over to give him the money. "All paid up for tonight."

"Fair enough." He said and nodded in their direction. "You are welcome here."

"Thank you. We appreciate your hospitality." Sheppard gave her a lopsided grin.

The woman glanced back at them before she disappeared through a door.

----------

There were two narrow beds and not much else in the small room. A solitary chair and a tiny table were the only other furniture. The beds were covered with faded but substantial quilts. Ronon had frowned at the length of the beds when they first entered. Even Sheppard's lanky frame was too long for them. The Colonel chuckled as he caught his friend's expression in the light from the candle on the table.

They stood at the darkened window after they extinguished the candle's flame. They could still hear some movement below, but even that was subsiding as the last of the patrons left and the innkeeper and his daughter closed up for the night. Soon after the front door thudded for the last time, they heard a nearby bell toll nine times. All was quiet.

The two men each leaned against one side of the window, watching from the edges of the frayed curtain covering it. From the angles, they could see the street for a good distance as well as much of the square.

"It's too early to go out yet. I want to make sure everything is good and quiet before we go sneaking around. Get some sleep." The Colonel said after an hour. When Ronon didn't move, he leaned forward a little. "Two hours each. Go."

Sheppard was barely able to suppress a laugh when his friend laid on the bed and his boots hung off the end as he straightened out on it. After trying to settle for a minute, Ronon turned on one side, facing the door. His weapon was under his hand. He was accustomed to sleeping with it in his hand as a precaution. It had taken some time for him to stop doing so in Atlantis, but he continued the practice on every mission that kept them away from the City.

The Colonel stood at the window and watched the neighborhood go to sleep. Lights coming from the windows around them went out one by one. The only foot traffic he saw were units of four men every thirty minutes or so. They kept to the middle of the narrow street, but peered into the shadows cast by the few weak lamplights. He wondered whether the uneasiness in the constabulary was caused more from the kidnappings or was a normal state of affairs.

The early contact with this planet revealed that it had been several generations since the last culling. The Caldean system was near the end of one of the spiral arms that made up the Pegasus Galaxy. It was not a convenient place for the Wraith to visit, so the inhabitants were left in relative peace for longer periods of time than many, but they were not immune to attack.

Sheppard stretched and glanced back towards the bed. Ronon hadn't moved since he lay down. Just as he decided to wake his friend, the soft crunch of footsteps made Sheppard turn back to the window. It took him a second to catch the movement in the black shadows. Three figures made every effort to remain hidden as they worked their way to the corner and turned down an alleyway.

"Ronon." The Colonel hissed with urgency as he nudged the Satedan's boot. "Come on."

"What's wrong?" Ronon quickly stood, weapon in hand.

"Three people sneaking about in the shadows. Looks like they just might be up to something." Sheppard walked quietly to the door and unlocked it.

The click of the lock was barely audible, but they froze for fear it was heard by the residents of the inn. After listening for a moment, they opened the door, stepped out and relocked it. They moved down the stairs, keeping as close to the wall as possible to avoid causing the old wood to creak. Seconds later, they were in the street, quickly trotting to the corner and around it.

They quietly searched for the figures Sheppard observed from the window. The streets further from the square were a rabbit warren of alleyways and narrow lanes. They paused frequently to listen for footsteps or voices, but heard nothing and saw no-one. Eventually, they gave up the search and turned to checking for possible locations of the hostages. There would have to be lookouts and guards, and maybe they would get lucky and spot one.

----------

McKay paced back and forth in the Gate operations area. Lorne leaned against one of the consoles, watching him make tight turns in the narrow space, then suddenly stop.

"Colonel, I don't think you understand. The head of the Caldean security was very worried about what these people might do. They specifically said that any interference from us would result in Elizabeth and Teyla getting killed."

Caldwell could be heard over the speakers. "I heard you, Dr. McKay. What kind of reaction do you think Col. Sheppard and Ronon got when they Gated in?"

"They'd been off-world for three days and Sheppard was in civilian clothing. No one would ever mistake them for military, much less from Atlantis, believe me. That's why Sheppard insisted only the two of them go." McKay began to pace again.

Lorne added, "Sir, Col. Sheppard and Ronon left everything behind that could identify them."

"Well, we can at least let them know we're in orbit and can beam them out if necessary." The disembodied voice persisted.

McKay stopped and stared at Lorne. "Uh, no. When the Major said everything, he meant everything. They left their radios and IDCs here, too. We think Elizabeth and Teyla probably had theirs confiscated when they were taken hostage so there is no way to contact them."

The signal went dead for a few seconds. Caldwell's voice was tight when he spoke again. "Understood, but the Daedalus is going there anyway. They may be able to recover Dr. Weir's radio. If nothing else, we can lock onto their subcutaneous transmitters. We'll contact you when we arrive. Daedalus out."

McKay was less than hopeful. "Good luck."

----------

By the time they returned to the inn, both men were chilled to the bone. The winter on this planet was mild compared to some, but sneaking around for a couple of hours in the middle of the night did not generate enough internal heat to keep out the cold night air. The only heat at the inn came from the fireplace in the bar and a wood-burning stove in the kitchen. Precious little of that permeated to the guest room upstairs.

Even with the heavy coat he wore, Sheppard's teeth were chattering when they entered. The fireplace held glowing remnants of the previous evening's fire. He quietly pulled a chair closer and sat in front of it. He used a piece of kindling to expose the hottest embers then laid a couple of pieces of kindling onto the glowing pile. Once flames were visible, Ronon carefully added more wood. They were quickly rewarded with a decent fire.

They sat in silence for a while, leaning forward with elbows on knees, and hands extended to warm them. After a few minutes, Sheppard rested his chin on both hands and closed his eyes. Just as he began to enter that state between wakefulness and sleep, when dreams begin to form, he felt Ronon tense. A moment later he heard the noise that caused it, but didn't move. He was relieved when the Satedan remained still.

"What are you doing here?" The innkeeper's voice was both wary and menacing. The man was burly and appeared as if he could easily hold his own in a fight.

Sheppard straightened and looked over at him but it was Ronon who stood up and answered.

"Couldn't sleep." In an uncharacteristic moment that surprised even Sheppard, Ronon put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll get them back."

The innkeeper came closer, his attitude only slightly less suspicious. The whole appearance of these strangers was one of being on a long, hard road. "Verna said you were searching for kinfolk. You thought they mighta come here?"

"The Wraith attacked our town four months ago. His wife was killed. We think my wife and his sister escaped." Sheppard glanced at Ronon. "We have found some of our people, but most scattered soon after they left Endor. Few places can support many extra mouths."

"There is truth in that." The Caldean pulled up a chair and sat down. He had the air of someone wanting to trust, but not too sure if he should. "We've had a few folk come through the Ring of the Ancestors last couple of seasons, but I don't recall hearing mention of this Endor. Most are just visitors, coming to trade. They come with their wares then go home with ours."

"Thanks." Sheppard let his shoulders slump.

The inn keeper relaxed. "Name's Dukon. Yours?"

Sheppard half smiled, relieved the man seemed to accept them. "This is Chewie and I'm Han. Thank you for letting us stay."

"It would not be right to turn away strangers in need." Dukon looked at the fire. "My own wife died when Verna was but a child. She welcomed all that crossed our threshold."

"I'm sorry." Sheppard appreciated the openness of this man. "It must have been very difficult for you and your daughter."

Dukon nodded sadly then smiled. "Yes, but Verna is her mother's daughter. She is a blessing from the Ancestor's."

They sat in silence for several seconds. Finally, the innkeeper cleared his throat and looked at them. "You asked around for them?"

"There weren't too many people out and about when we arrived. We just walked around for a while then came here. One of the guards at the Ring recommended you." Sheppard wanted to be as truthful as possible. Any lies about their movements could easily be discovered. They needed help to find Elizabeth and Teyla, and had to build trust as quickly as possible. "We'll ask around tomorrow. Maybe someone has seen them or heard about them."

"And, if they're not here? Then what?" Ronon asked flatly.

Sheppard's response was only to shake his head and shrug despondently.

"You might find some help at Town Hall."

"Town Hall?" Ronon asked.

"Yeah." Dukon scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, tomorrow is the day everyone prepares for market day, so the Hall is closed. But, it'll be open the next, on market day. The Sheriff's office may have heard of them. And, it is market. Plenty of folk you can ask there. Even a few from the big farms come to town. Some traders from off-world might be there, too."

"We're obliged." Sheppard half smiled. This was the perfect excuse to stick around for two days. No one would question their need to wait for the government offices to open.

"Loss of family is grave." The older man nodded and stood up. He turned the chair back to its table. "You are welcome, but a caution to you. Take care."

"Excuse me?" Sheppard asked innocently.

The innkeeper studied them in the firelight for a moment before answering. His impression of them when they first entered was reinforced. These two would be more than capable of looking after themselves, especially the big one. That might be the reason they were given the task of going to other worlds to trade for their community. It was not always safe to walk through the Ring of the Ancestors, even to known planets.

They both looked tired and anxious for their women, he thought. Dukon was inclined to agree with Verna's impression of them. More than a few refugees of Wraith attacks had come through the Ring in recent years. They sometimes looked for other survivors from their homes and moved on. Sometimes they stayed, often to their own regret.

"There is unrest here. It is not wise to be out in the night after dark. Please do not ask more." He nodded and walked back to the stairs. As he put his foot on the first step, he turned back to them. "Stay and warm yourselves as long as you wish."

After the innkeeper left, Sheppard and Ronon sat without speaking until there was too little heat to warm them. They went to their room, locking the door behind them. Ronon gently pushed the Colonel to the second bed.

"Your turn. I'll wake you at dawn."

Sheppard didn't bother to argue. He pulled the stunner from its holster and stretched out, not caring that his heels rested on the footboard as the top of his head touched the headboard. He held the weapon on his chest, threw the quilt over himself and was asleep in seconds. Ronon resumed the watch at the window.

----------

Teyla finally pushed away from the door. There was so little noise coming from the other side and no shadow passed through the light that came from beneath the door. It was difficult to know anyone was there. The sliver of light was just enough to show her a vague picture of the small room. She walked across to the window and tried to pry off the wooden planks that covered it. There was no way to remove them.

She pulled her coat tighter and wondered how long she had been asleep. The sun was still high when they were shown into the conference room and it had been pitch black when Janen came to see her. The barest hint of light crept through a thin crack between the boards. Was it morning?

Noises began coming through the wall. She thought she could hear people talking and moving around. She also heard footsteps in the hall and quickly sat on the bed. Teyla remained seated as a tray of food and water, and another candle, was set on the one chair in the room. The threat of harm to Elizabeth kept her still. The young woman leaving the tray quickly backed out of the room. The large man accompanying her bowed as he left close behind her. The bolt slid into place on the outside, locking her in again. As soon as she could no longer hear movement outside, Teyla tried the door. It was locked, and solid enough to keep her secure.

The Colonel sent her with Elizabeth. When he and Ronon were preparing for the mission to M3Q-631, he pulled her aside and asked Teyla to go to Caldea for the negotiations. Before she could protest, he pointed out that her knowledge of the politics and trading protocols in this galaxy were invaluable. She knew it was also because of the sprained ankle she suffered the week before. Even though she was almost fully recovered, Beckett did not want her traipsing over rough countryside just yet.

The sting of the failure to keep Elizabeth out of harm's way was deep as she pulled the blanket around her shoulders. She sat cross-legged on the bed, watching the door and straining to listen for footsteps.

----------

It seemed to be just after dawn. The sound of someone walking in the hall woke Elizabeth from a fitful sleep. Before she could rise, two men and two women came and escorted her downstairs to a bathroom. It was at the back of the building, a ramshackle worn place. In the early light, she was just able to see the hall and little else. What was visible was equally unpainted as her room.

Again, her guards were silent, only pointing the way for her to go. They avoided her gaze and stayed an arms length away from her. Elizabeth felt it was not out of fear of her trying to over power them, but, rather as a servant would treat a master. One guard, an older woman with large, strong hands that appeared to have worked hard for her entire life, stayed with her. The whole time, though her eyes were averted.

Elizabeth was obedient, but as they reached the door to her room, she tried one more time. She stopped in the doorway. Her captors hesitated and glanced at each other. The older woman looked her in the eye for the first time and shook her head just once. With that, Elizabeth stepped into the room and the door closed behind her.

A few moments later, the same guards opened Teyla's door.

----------

Verna turned to look at the stairs as Sheppard and Ronon descended. She was kneeling in front of the fireplace, sweeping the previous night's ashes into a pan. Ronon crossed to the window and looked out. Sunlight was just beginning to hit the upper floors of the buildings around them, but he saw no-one moving around.

"It's early yet. It will be full daylight before you see many folk about in the square. Everyone is preparing for market day tomorrow. Too cold to be out when there's no need." The young woman began to arrange kindling and wood on the hearth. She beamed when Sheppard squatted to help by passing her chunks of the hand chopped fuel. "Our woodpile is low, so Father has gone for more."

"I don't suppose you get a day off when you run a place like this, do you?" The Colonel sympathized as he passed her another piece.

"That is true, Sir, but we are warm and dry when many others must work in all manner of bad weather. And, when the weather is truly bad, we have no patrons at all." She carefully set one last piece of wood on the pile.

"Well, that is an advantage." Sheppard put his hand under her elbow and helped her stand.

"It's kind of you to help, Sir." She blushed as she dusted her hands on a faded apron. "If you like, the kitchen is already warm. I can cook a meal for you. Or, I can light this fire while you wait here."

"The kitchen is fine." Ronon turned from the window.

"You sure your Father won't mind?" Sheppard asked with raised eyebrows.

She began to guide them through to the kitchen. "Said he spoke with you late last night. Seems satisfied you mean us no harm."

Sheppard smiled at her. "Well, we don't mean you any harm. We're just looking for our family."

----------

The extent of the dilapidation of the buildings, hidden by the darkness of the previous night, struck both men. Except for the main street and square, everything was bare board and run down. It appeared as if the areas that would be seen by casual visitors from off world were maintained, but all else was being allowed to disintegrate. Some windows had no glass. Instead, only rough wooden shutters kept out the weather.

They remembered the conversation with Verna over breakfast. She openly talked about the landowners' stranglehold on the bulk of the wealth here. It looked as though a slow, agonizing deterioration was in progress. She said the landed families spent generations acquiring smaller farms around them, either through arranged marriages or buying out the owners. Sometimes, she hinted, the acquisitions were made by less legal means. The result was wealth and power in few hands, and most of the inhabitants barely getting by.

The appearance of the people in the streets reflected the poverty. They saw little new clothing, and hands and faces showed the wear of long, hard days. There was unexpected cheerfulness, though. The people around them greeted each other with warmth.

Verna told them some of the businesses in town were still owned by the families that had been running them for many years. Some, such as her father's tavern, had been handed down from one generation to the next since well before the last Wraith attack. However, even they were being gradually squeezed out.

So far, they had seen four different units of uniformed constables. There were four in each, and all were looking a little nervous. Mostly, their only arms were of the bludgeoning kind or knives, still functional and potentially deadly. One or two in each unit carried compact crossbows with short, thick bolts. Sheppard and Ronon were eyed suspiciously. At one point, an overly eager constable stopped them.

"You do not come from Caldea. What is your business here?"

"We came to look for our womenfolk." Sheppard stepped forward quickly when he felt Ronon tensing up. "Our planet was culled by the Wraith two seasons ago and we believe they were able to escape."

The constable chewed on his lip as he thought about the response. He looked closely at Sheppard and even more closely at Ronon. "Then, what are you doing wandering about town?"

"We're waiting for the Town Hall and the market tomorrow to ask about them. We wanted to just walk around in the off chance they are here and we might see them."

The man looked them up and down one more time before making his decision. "Well, stay out of trouble. Mischief making is not tolerated here."

Ronon answered this time. "We don't want any trouble. We just want to get our family back."

Sheppard muttered under his breath as the patrol walked away. He was surprised the kidnappings had been so low-key and non-violent. The wandering constables were going to make this much harder.

They were able to see much of the town in the space of a couple of hours. To reinforce their story, Sheppard occasionally approached people and asked if they knew of anyone from Endor. Some were sympathetic and spoke with them for a few minutes, but others would just shake their heads nervously and hurry away. They were stopped twice more by constables before heading back to the inn.

----------

Elizabeth paced back and forth in the confines of the room. Her efforts at engaging her captors in conversation each time they opened her door were as unsuccessful as the first. They treated her well, but avoided eye contact and said nothing.

She once tried walking past them, only to be held back by the men. They were firm but did not hurt her. It seemed, despite their worn clothes and appearance of laboring hard for their livelihood, they were well disciplined.

The sounds that she listened to for much of the day finally died away and stopped. Elizabeth wondered how so much activity could be happening so close without anyone knowing that she and Teyla were so near. Or, perhaps these people were fully aware of their presence.


	3. Chapter 3

"Janen, this is dangerous. The one called Teyla is a warrior. She has remained compliant so far, but she will eventually try to escape." The older woman who accompanied Elizabeth and Teyla to the washroom stood before him. He was sitting at a small table in a room as devoid of décor as those of their captives.

The man sighed and stood up. "I know, Onnadi. Both women are as strong as Dessan and Hodda are weak. Those two are as meek as young babies."

Onnadi remained silent as Janen turned to look at the street below through a dingy curtain on the one window in the room. After several seconds, he turned back. His face was lined with weariness and concern.

"Put just enough of the sedative in their food to keep them calm, but no more. They cannot know what is happening and must not be harmed in any way."

"We will be very careful." She nodded then left. She glanced back as she closed the door to see him slowly sit again, lost in thought.

----------

Sheppard and Ronon headed back to Rolth's as the sun reached its zenith. There was no-one in the main room, but Verna came through from the kitchen within seconds. A young woman followed close behind her.

"Were you able to find out if your womenfolk have been here?" Verna smiled hopefully.

"No, no-one has seen or heard of them, or of anyone from our planet." Sheppard answered, leaning against the bar as Ronon walked to the fireplace.

"I am sorry. Maybe they will know something at market tomorrow. Town Hall opens after the mid-day meal time so you can ask there, too." She paused and looked at her cousin. She smiled hesitantly when she turned back to him. "Yes, Tannea. This is my cousin, Tannea. She came to keep me company while father is out. He is helping my uncle today."

"Welcome to Caldea, Sirs." Tannea blushed and curtsied. She looked over at Ronon. "You are both most welcome."

"Thanks. We're please to me you." Sheppard glanced around the empty tavern. "No customers today?"

"Maybe later, but there are few about today. Everyone is getting ready for market." Verna smiled at his concern.

Ronon nodded. "Any chance for some food?"

"Yes, of course. You must be hungry. I will get something for you to eat. Please sit down."

They sat in front of the fire and waited silently. Both were lost in thought. Minutes later the two young women returned with trays laden with food and a jug of beer. They quickly transferred the meal to a table next to the visitors. Ronon immediately picked up a thick slice of bread and wrapped it around a slab of roasted meat.

Sheppard smiled at both girls. "Thank you."

Tannea blushed again, but Verna smiled back, and did another quick curtsy. "You are welcome."

The Colonel bit his lip. "Uh…"

Verna saw his hesitation and a small crease appeared on her brow. She looked over the table. "Is there anything else you need, Sir?"

Ronon shook his head as he chewed a bite of his makeshift sandwich, but Sheppard hesitated again.

She waited in expectation.

He glanced at Verna then Tannea and back at Verna. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes, of course."

"We saw a few security patrols around and everyone seems…tense. Is that normal?"

The girls became nervous and glanced at each other.

Sheppard leaned forward. "I'm sorry, is there something wrong?"

Verna glanced around the room and at her cousin before taking a deep breath and answering in a hushed tone. "There has been trouble here."

Tannea grabbed her arm. "Verna!"

"Hush, Tannea. These men are searching for family. They have a right to know it is not safe here." Verna pulled up a nearby chair and sat down. Her voice was low. "There was a kidnapping yesterday. Two of our ministers and two diplomats from another planet were taken."

Sheppard raised both eyebrows in alarm and looked at Ronon and back. "Kidnapped?"

"They haven't been found yet?" Ronon asked, registering as much alarm as he was capable of, which wasn't much.

Verna shook her head. "No, not yet."

"My intended is a constable. He said they completely disappeared." Now Tannea pulled a stool forward and perched on it. It appeared as though she remembered something. "You came through the Ring of the Ancestors last night, didn't you?'

"Yes, we did. Why?" Sheppard leaned back, trying to keep an innocent face.

"Norval was on duty there. You must have seen him, tall, blond hair and very handsome." The girl blushed again.

"Ah, yes, he is a fine young man." Sheppard leaned forward again and paused thoughtfully. "Did they get out of town? The kidnappers, I mean. Seems there're a lot of places out there they could hide.

Tannea shook her head. "No, Norval says they think the rebels are still in town. They have four hostages and would be too easy to see out in the open."

"They must be hiding here in town." Verna nodded. Sheppard could see now that they were young, probably still teenagers. Both were getting excited about telling the story. They had little opportunity to discuss such things with interested adults.

"But no-one seems to be looking for them." Ronon picked up another slice of bread and slapped a piece of meat on it. "Why not?"

"Norval said it's because Janen, he's the leader, might kill them if they see anyone is looking for them." Tannea almost whispered.

"I cannot believe he would really do such a thing." Verna frowned. She glanced sideways at cousin. "Nesor would in a heartbeat, but not Janen."

"He scares me."

"You see, Janen's younger sister was killed by one of the landowners three years ago. She was to be married to Nesor." Verna looked serious. "Poor woman. She was walking down the laneway when she was run down by Remen's carriage. He didn't even stop to help her."

"And, that's not all." Tannea continued. "They're forcing children to work the fields. I heard that youngsters barely able to walk are being put to have to pick legans and tollus."

"It's not right." Verna was indignant. Her cousin nodded vigorously in agreement.

"But…Norval…thinks they're still in town?" Sheppard prompted, hoping he'd followed their story.

"Yes, probably in the storehouse district. It'd be the easiest place to hide them." Verna was pleased with her conclusion.

Sheppard glanced at Ronon. That's where they had lost the men late last night. He quickly frowned sympathetically at the girls. "I'm sure the authorities are doing all they can to get them back."

"They'd better. Minister Dessan isn't Agricultural Minister for nothing." Verna looked around to make sure she wasn't overheard. "His family owns one of the biggest farms on Caldea."

----------

Teyla yawned. She lay back on the bed, her head aching badly. Thinking the stuffiness of room combined with a night spent going over every inch of her room were affecting her.

The questions that had swirled in her head remained there. The people she'd seen since her capture were not criminals. They were laborers, people who worked hard every day for little reward. She was treated with respect, but they would not talk to her. They were silent.

The young Athosian rubbed her temples, trying to dispel the aching and weariness.

----------

"How can you just sit here?" Ronon's voice was a low rumble. He'd been fidgeting for the last half hour.

"What would you recommend we do?" Wishing he had his sunglasses, Sheppard squinted up into the bright sunshine at his friend. He shifted slightly and casually glanced around. After lunch, he'd wanted to escape the chattering girls and think. Out here in the open, he settled on one of the long wooden benches dotted around the nearly empty square. His coat was folded on the bench next to him and the sleeves of his tunic were pushed up to expose bare arms to the warm sun. No-one approached them, but it appeared to any observer that they were just waiting for the day to pass.

"I don't know, but we can't just sit here and do nothing!" Ronon replied through clinched teeth. He shrugged off his coat and draped it over the back of the bench, taking care not to reveal his weapon.

Sheppard looked straight ahead again and closed his eyes. He exhaled heavily. His voice was quiet, but he did not mask the anger and sense of helplessness he felt. "I want nothing more than to tear this place apart, but if Elizabeth and Teyla are still alive, they won't stay that way long if we go pounding down doors."

"You think they're alive?"

"They'd better be." The Colonel slouched down on the bench, extending his legs and crossing his ankles. To any onlookers, it appeared as if he was trying to nap in the sun.

Ronon watched him for a moment. As he did his own slouching, he remembered something Ford said while he, Sheppard, Teyla and McKay were prisoners in Ford's cave.

"_Don't ever underestimate Sheppard's determination, or his capacity for ruthlessness. You'd never think it to look at him, but he can be one mean, cold-hearted son of a bitch when he needs to be."_

"It's turned out to be a nice afternoon. Enjoy the sunshine." Sheppard yawned then smiled at a couple who tried not to stare at the strangers as they hurried by. "Look, there's nothing else we can do until later. Relax."

"We should at least be looking for them."

"No, too many watching eyes." Sheppard glanced at Ronon. They saw each of the same four patrols pass by, all taking interest in them. Only one patrol questioned them. Seemingly satisfied with the story they must have already been briefed on, they went their way.

"We can give them the slip." Ronon persisted.

"Maybe, but we can't afford any suspicion at all. The kidnappers have to have people in the constabulary. There's no other way for them to have pulled the snatch off so easily."

Ronon exhaled heavily. "I don't like sitting around, doing nothing."

"Neither do I."

Ronon exhaled heavily and tried to relax. On seeing yet another unit of constables in a nearby street, he observed, "I don't understand why they have so many guards walking around. You'd think the kidnappers would want them off the streets."

"I've been thinking about that." Sheppard glanced around. "They probably have enough people in the constabulary to steer them away from wherever their keeping the hostages. There has to be something else, though. What I want to know is, where are the landowners? And, where is Nathal, the Security Minister?"

"Yeah, I was wondering about that, too."

----------

The sun began its hasty descent to the horizon and the air seemed to cool a degree every few minutes. Sheppard finally relented and the two of them began a leisurely stroll around town as the shadows lengthened. Early in the afternoon, many of the businesses showed signs of life. People were occupied with preparations for the following day. As the day wore on, that activity slowed, doors closed and the people disappeared from the streets.

They made a point of not avoiding the constables until they were near the warehouse district. Once the daylight began to fade, Sheppard stopped and looked around. He was frowning.

"There's a patrol coming." Ronon said under his breath as he turned his back to the approaching men.

"Shh. I know." Recognizing the men, the Colonel replied in an equally low tone as he waved at the constables. He spoke more loudly at them, relief in his voice. "Officer! We're glad to see you."

"What are you doing in this area?" One of the younger men asked gruffly.

"This is not a safe area for you to be in after dark." The leader scowled at his subordinate.

Sheppard looked around with a confused expression. "Well, I thought we were headed back to Rolth's, but..."

"I told you we should've turned left back there." Ronon stated with annoyance.

"Yeah, I know." Sheppard rolled his eyes and shrugged. He looked at the constable. "Can you tell us how to get back to the main square?"

The elder guard glanced at the fast darkening sky and exhaled heavily. "That's on our way back to headquarters. You'd better come with us."

"Thanks, Officer. I'm grateful." Sheppard grinned as Ronon glared at him.

They walked in silence for a few minutes then Sheppard cleared his throat. "You probably know about most of the comings and goings on Caldea. Do many people come through the Ring of the Ancestors and stay?"

"Not many other than traders come here. At least, not many that stay. Jobs are hard to come by."

"We heard there was some kind of trouble recently."

"Nothing to concern yourselves about as long as you keep out off the streets at night." The guard paused at a warehouse door and tested it. When it didn't open he moved on.

One of the younger men looked at Sheppard. "How long are you staying?"

"We were told about the market tomorrow and that the Town Hall is open. We wanted to ask about our womenfolk there." Sheppard replied

"Someone will know if they're here." The young man offered.

"Shouldn't you be trying a few of those doors, Yoss?

"Yes, Belan." The young man hurried across the lane to test a few doors. The other two guards rushed to try others.

Belan grumbled. "Don't know why they send these boys to me."

"Many people come to the market?" Ronon asked.

"Most of Caldea turns out for market. Farmers, weavers, potters and such bring their wares to town. Be a good place to ask around." He watched his men with a practiced eye. "Hopeless."

"Your superiors probably know you'll sort them out." Sheppard chuckled. "We heard you get traders from off-world at the market."

"Sometimes." Belan turned a corner and they could see the buildings were now shops and houses. He slowed his pace and spoke softly. "It wouldn't be wise to stay beyond market day. Caldea is small. If anyone has heard of your womenfolk, you will find out tomorrow."

"We want to leave as soon as possible. Planting starts on our world in a few days. We're needed there."

"Rolth's is two corners that way." Belan pointed down a laneway to his right.

"Thanks. Good night." Sheppard said as he and Ronon turned away.

----------

The tavern's few patrons left soon after the two off-world visitors entered. Market day meant earlier than normal rising and an earlier bedtime. Dukon bolted the door and sat down next to Sheppard. He pulled a short knife out of his pocket, picked up a small piece of firewood and began to carve. He'd sent Verna off to bed soon after dinner. She frowned, not wanting to miss a moment with their guests, but quickly obeyed her father. She had worked hard cleaning and cooking that day and was tired. Her consolation was that they would still be here the next day.

Sheppard glanced at his host. "Her mother would be proud of her."

"Yes, she would be, as am I." Dukon smiled then glanced at his guest. "I expect you've been to many worlds with trading and searching for your women."

Sheppard exhaled heavily, staring at the fire. "Yeah. Sometimes I think too many."

"Are the cullings as bad as we've heard?" He watched Sheppard out of the corner of his eye. There were more to these men than met the eye, he was certain. He was just as certain that they did not intend any harm to the people here. Dukon saw a shadow of pain briefly cross his face.

"They're worse. The Wraith woke too early. They're fighting for food and taking everyone possible." The Colonel turned to Dukon. He liked this man and his daughter. "Do you have any place to hide? Underground is better."

"Yes, we have a deep cellar and the door is well hidden. It was dug long ago, and each generation has dug a little more and shored it up so that it is safe from attack." He glanced around the room. "This place has been rebuilt more than once over the generations. It may have been many years since the Wraith last came to Caldea, but some of us remember the lessons of the past."

Sheppard turned to watch the fire again. "Good. Don't hesitate to use it."

The innkeeper began to whittle again, thinking about the journey these men must have been on and the terrible things they must have seen.

They sat in silence for a long time. The only sounds in the room were the crackling of the fire, knife on wood and, after a little while, Ronon's soft snoring. The warm fire and good meal, along with a couple of large mugs of beer, made it too difficult for the Satedan to keep his eyes open. Sheppard wasn't worried about his guard being down, though. He knew Ronon would be instantly awake and ready to brawl if needed. He only wished he could join him.

After some time, Dukon folded his knife and put it away. He set a small figure on the nearby table and stood up. Sheppard glanced up at him.

"You two can stay and warm yourselves as long as you want. There's plenty of wood. I bid you goodnight." With that, he turned and quietly went upstairs.

Sheppard leaned forward and picked up the figure. It was a remarkably good miniature of a young woman. Verna, he guessed. He set it down and put a couple of pieces of wood on the fire, judging that they should last about two hours. Then, it would be time to go out again.

----------

The hot dinner and heat of the fire kept them warm for only a short while once they left the tavern. Sheppard thought about the bitter cold of Antarctica, especially the winter. He hadn't missed it a whole lot. The night was nowhere the subzero temperatures of even the summer in Antarctica, but it was still cold enough to be very uncomfortable. He hoped Elizabeth and Teyla were being well cared for in their captivity. From what the girls said that morning, Janen was not a cruel man, so it was possible they were as comfortable as the less than perfect living conditions here allowed.

They slipped out of the tavern without disturbing Dukon or Verna, Ronon fuming that Sheppard let him sleep so long. They headed straight for the warehouse area, keeping to the shadows cast by the few weak streetlights and a thin first quarter moon that was rising over the low buildings. Street by street, they peeked into windows and listened at doors for signs of life or movement. Most, it seemed, were in bed early in anticipation of the busy day ahead. Anyone holding captives would have guards on duty, especially a group as organized as this one.

The two of them slowly and systematically searched the streets for hours. There was almost no sound or movement anywhere except the roaming units of constables. The few times they heard or saw anything turned out to be false alarms. Several minutes of intense listening revealed families bedding down for the night or solitary men working at their given trade.

They paused near yet another dreary building and peered into a dirty, cracked window. Nothing. Ronon suddenly nudged Sheppard and jerked his thumb at the corner. Knowing the Satedan had better hearing, he froze, listening. They backed into the blackest shadow and waited. Seconds later, a four-man patrol rounded the corner and approached their position. Sheppard clenched his teeth to stop them chattering from the cold as they passed him.

As before, each unit had an older and, presumably, more experienced leader. They were much more nervous than the night before. After several minutes, Sheppard began to move when Ronon pulled him back. He heard the footsteps before the trio turned the corner. They were coming from the same laneway, but the other direction. They kept to the shadows on the opposite side of the street, but their movements were deliberate. It was clear these people knew where they were going and were determined to get there.

Ronon stepped away from the wall as the three figures turned another corner two blocks away. Sheppard followed him, wondering at his friend's ability to move quickly across the unpaved street without making a sound audible enough to be heard more than a few feet away. Ronon drew them to within twenty yards of their quarry.

The three suddenly turned a corner. Ronon slowed as he and Sheppard approached it. He carefully looked to see where they were. Sheppard waited impatiently. When Ronon continued to peer around the corner without moving, he became concerned. The Satedan turned back and leaned down to whisper in Sheppard's ear.

"They've gone into one of the buildings."

Sheppard nodded and gestured that he would go around to approach from the other direction. He indicated to watch for ten minutes then pointed up the street. He quickly made his way back to the corner and rounded it after checking for the constables prowling the area. He was soon two blocks from Ronon's position, watching for any sign of movement in the narrow street.

They waited, straining to see into the dark shadows or hear movement, but neither saw nor heard anything. After ten minutes, they began to steal toward each other, pausing frequently to watch and listen at each doorway and window. On reaching the intersection in the middle, they stopped to look each way. Sheppard signaled for them to check the buildings down the side street, but before they could start, they heard footsteps coming from two different directions.

They hurried to a deep shadow several doors down from the corner. Two patrols approached and met where they had stood just seconds ago.

"Did you see anyone?" One unit leader whispered to the other. Their respective men peered into the darkness up and down the streets. The younger men were decidedly edgy while the older were only a little less so.

He looked around and shook his head. "Nah. Nothing moving that we've seen. Why?"

"Thought we caught a glimpse of something earlier." They were all looking up and down the streets.

The constable glanced up at the sky. "It'll be light in less than three hours. May be that it was someone gettin' an early start to ready for market."

"Yeah, maybe. Or, maybe it was Nesor and some of his men." The first man scratched his head and looked around again.

"He knows better than to be seen, even in the middle of the night."

"I don't know. Nesor's bold, and dangerous. He's gonna start something soon, I can feel it in my bones."

"That's the cold, but I believe you are not wrong. I heard the Captain say that he's probably just waiting to see if Janen's plan will work. I beg the Ancestors help us if it doesn't or we don't catch him first." The patrol leader jerked a thumb up one street. "We'll check around down here. You go that way."

Sheppard and Ronon decided it was time to retreat. They waited long enough for the men to get out of earshot, took careful note of the area then headed back to the tavern. There was just enough time for Sheppard to get some sleep before needing to make an appearance for breakfast.

----------

"This is just great. I wonder how dangerous this guy is." Sheppard said, staring at the hot liquid in the mug that was warming his hands and vaguely hoping it had caffeine in it. He blinked and got his mind back on the current problem. Nesor was a wrinkle that was less than welcome. The constables were clearly not happy at the thought of this man's involvement. The younger men were downright fearful.

"It explains the number of patrols." Ronon shoveled a spoonful of cooked mashed grain into his mouth.

Sheppard marveled at the man's appetite, no matter the time of day or the circumstances. He set the mug on the table and tried his porridge. He was happy to find it flavorful, and it was warm. These people seemed to make the most of the modest ingredients at hand.

"Dangerous enough." Ronon replied. "It sounds like he would follow through with the threats without hesitation."

"Yeah, that's what I thought."


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you think?" Janen folded his arms and looked across the table at Dukon.

The innkeeper sat down. "They seem to be just as they say, men looking for their womenfolk. You saw them. I have no doubt these men could be very dangerous, but they cannot be from the military that accompanied Dr. Weir."

"Balen agrees?"

"He has one or two reservations. He is certain both of these men have the ability to take care of themselves and is a little concerned about the timing of their arrival, but no commander would tolerate their appearance." Dukon shook his head. "They are near exhaustion and desperate. We agree that we need to keep an eye on them, but that's all."

Janen thought for a moment then sighed. "Very well."

Dukon started to get up, but sat down again. "Do you think the landowners and council will relent?"

"I honestly do not know." Janen shook his head slowly. "There will be widespread violence if they do not. Nesor and his group are not willing to wait any longer. Either they gives us what we want or there will be bloodshed."

Dukon was obviously worried. "What will we do with the Dr. Weir and Teyla Emmagan, and the Ministers?"

"The Ministers were warned of the consequences of allowing the situation to continue. I do not wish to harm the women, but we must see this through." Janen looked at the innkeeper, resignation of the seemingly inevitable etched on his face. "The upper class has enslaved people from other worlds that came here for refuge and impoverished their own people for too long. They must let us go."

"And, Nesor?"

Janen sighed. "His hatred is so deep I fear it has turned his mind. I pray to the ancestors he will not make any trouble."

----------

They stepped out of the tavern to a cloudy day. The breeze was cold and hints of it penetrated their coats.

This market was similar to the markets Sheppard and Ronon had seen on other planets. Booths and carts were arranged in neat rows around the main square. As would be expected, the wares included fruit, vegetables, baked goods and handmade clothing. The quality of the produce and other offerings was decent, but the people were more subdued than the day before. Adults and older children talked quietly amongst themselves. Only the youngest children showed signs of unconcerned life, running here and there until called back by their respective parents.

Sheppard and Ronon wandered around. They occasionally stopped to politely inspect the offerings and ask about their missing wife and sister.

"This is good." Ronon took a large bite of a pastry that was filled with yellow and red berries. It was gone in three bites. He then started to work on a piece of green fruit Sheppard did not recognize. The Colonel rolled his eyes and stopped at another cart to ask about his wife.

As they turned from the cart, Sheppard spotted Dukon and Belan at a nearby booth. The later was dressed as a civilian. Sheppard nudged Ronon and walked over to them.

"Good morning." Sheppard smiled, hoping his fatigue wasn't too obvious. The last few days were taking their toll on both him and Ronon.

"Good day to you, Han." Dukon nodded and turned to Belan. "This is…"

"We've met." Belan half smiled. He eyed Ronon, who was just finishing the green fruit. "You found your way back to the tavern, I take it."

"Yes, thank you." Sheppard smiled back. "We appreciate your help yesterday."

"Help?" Dukon looked from Sheppard to Belan.

"They took a wrong turn over in the storehouse area." The constable looked around. "Any luck?"

"No." Ronon shook his head.

Sheppard elaborated. "We've asked a few people, but no one has heard of them. We're waiting for the Town Hall to open so that we can ask in there."

"What will you do if there is no knowledge of them?" Belan asked.

"We'll go home at first light tomorrow. Our settlement has moved far from the Ring of the Ancestors. It will take us hours to make the journey home and the sun has just set there now." Sheppard responded.

"That's not a problem, is it?" Ronon asked.

"No, I don't think so. I hope you find them soon. Good luck." Belan nodded then turned with Dukon and walked away.

Ronon looked at Sheppard and spoke quietly. "They're watching us."

The Colonel nodded as they started toward the Town Hall steps. "I know. You don't think they saw us the last two nights, do you?"

Ronon glanced sideways at him.

Sheppard glanced up. "Of course, you…would…have seen them. How silly of me."

----------

Elizabeth lay on the bed, bundled as best she could in the rough blankets. She stared at the candle that barely lit the small room. The temperature dipped during the night. Her keepers brought in hot food and tea at regular intervals during the day, but checked on her only once at night. They treated her well, but did not speak to her. She had seen or heard nothing of Teyla, but she could not risk possible injury to her young friend.

Something woke her, but by the time she was fully awake, all was quiet again. She turned just enough to see a watery daylight through the minute gap in the wood covering the window. She wondered what time it was. Seeing that it was daytime again, she knew that there was less than 24 hours left.

----------

"Atlantis, this is Daedalus." The disembodied voice of Col. Caldwell caused McKay to jump.

"This is Atlantis, go ahead." McKay responded as Lorne bounded up the stairs to the Ops level.

"We'll be in orbit around Caldea in 24 hours. Any news from Col. Sheppard?"

McKay stared down at the Stargate. "No, nothing. The note from the dissidents gives them only 20 hours."

There was a moment's pause before Caldwell spoke again. "Understood. Caldwell out."

"Are you sure we can't go…?" McKay turned to look at Lorne.

The Major shook his head slowly. "Not a chance. I am under direct orders from Col. Sheppard."

"But, you can…"

"And, I'm not going to ask Col. Caldwell to change those orders." Lorne hurriedly interrupted. He continued when he saw the astrophysicist's consternation. "Rodney, Col. Caldwell would have countermanded the orders if he wanted to, but he obviously thinks that Col. Sheppard is doing the right thing. Without knowing exactly what's happening on Caldea, it's too dangerous to send anyone else in."

McKay stared at him for a moment then nodded, accepting the reasoning. He flopped into the chair again, unwilling to leave the vicinity of the Gate.

"At least they can lock onto the transmitters." Lorne reminded him.

"If it isn't too late."

----------

They came out of the Town Hall as the booths were being packed up for the day. Many were makeshift tables made of wooden planks laid across collapsible sawhorses. Some sold produce out of the back of their carts. Almost everyone had traded with neighbors and all were taking away baskets or carts containing goods of some description. There seemed to be little profit making, just trading enough goods to stay alive.

Thinking they might get a few minutes sleep, Sheppard and Ronon began to walk back to the tavern. As they walked through the square they felt a rising feeling of fear and excitement. Urgent whispering stopped as they passed by. The people around them were packing up and leaving more quickly.

"Something's up." Ronon said under his breath. Then they saw Verna's face. The girl was obviously distressed. A young couple talking with her scurried away as they approached the inn.

Sheppard frowned and spoke quietly to her. "What's wrong?"

"It's Nesor. They're saying he has taken control of the hostages. They don't know if Janen is dead or alive." Verna bit her lower lip almost to the point of bleeding. She was pale with anxiety.

"Where's your father?" Sheppard asked as he and Ronon scanned the people in the square. The cloud cover was high but causing the afternoon to darken quickly. As the news made its way through the square, the remaining traders were leaving as fast as they could.

She looked around, too. "He will be here soon. Ah, there he is."

They followed her gaze to see Dukon say something to Belan then hurry toward them.

"Go inside, Verna." The innkeeper said quietly, ushering her through the door. He glanced at his guests. "You should be indoors, too."

"What happened?" Sheppard asked after they went in and the door was closed.

Dukon was not used to this kind of thing. He was a strong and sensible man, but kidnapping and death threats were rare on Caldea. He turned to Sheppard.

"Verna told me she talked to you of things she should not have. Nesor has taken over the hostages. That is all we know, and we're not even sure of that." He stopped, unsure of what he should say to these men.

"What?" Ronon demanded in a low voice.

"Father, tell them." Verna urged, hoping these men could somehow help.

Dukon looked at her for a moment then back at Sheppard. "I do not think Janen would have hurt the women hostages. He would have found some way not to. Nesor will not hesitate."

"How do you know Janen wasn't going to follow through on his threat?"

"It is not his way. I believe Nesor forced Janen's hand. We had talked about a bloodless rebellion before this happened. Some of us have friends and relatives among the traders on other worlds that are willing to help. We will find another planet for ourselves."

"You?" Sheppard asked.

"The landowners will need to replace the laborers that want to leave. It will not be safe to stay here and I want my daughter to have a better life, even if it means starting over. At least she would be free." He smiled sadly at the girl. She squeezed his arm in return.

"We may be able to help." Sheppard glanced at Ronon. "But, first, you have to help us."

"What…" Dukon looked at him suspiciously. "We don't know where your family is."

Sheppard knew he was risking their lives by telling him, but also knew the situation was much more dangerous now and they probably didn't have time to search further.

"We're here for the hostages, Dukon. My name is Sheppard." He jerked his thumb at his friend. "This is Ronon. Do you know where they are?"

Verna watched her father as he stepped back then turned away. He was thinking as fast as he could. These men had been under his roof for two days and he had vouched that they were not a danger to them. Their very presence created a threat.

"Father." Verna's voice was uncertain. She looked from him to the strangers.

"We don't mean you any harm. We just want our people back." Sheppard said as he threw Ronon a warning glance. The Satedan had taken a step forward, unable to stay still any longer.

Dukon turned back to them. He looked at his daughter for a long moment before nodding his head. "I cannot take you to where they are being held. I will get Balen. He will know what to do."

"Sheppard?" Ronon was suspicious. He took another step toward the innkeeper.

"I trust you enough to leave you with my daughter." Dukon stopped in the middle of the room. "Please. If I am to go, I must go quickly. The landowners will be summoned. We will not be able to go out soon."

"It's okay. Let him go." Sheppard put his hand out to wave Ronon back. "We'll wait here."

Dukon cast a worried look at the girl as he closed the door. She stared at it for several seconds then drew a deep breath and turned to the two men, now complete strangers again with the revelations of just moments ago. She hesitated, not knowing what to do.

Sheppard smiled gently at her. "I'll light the fire. Why don't you make us all something hot to drink?"

Verna nodded, grateful for the small task and chance to escape for a few minutes. She disappeared into the kitchen.

Ronon had again taken up a position next to the window. Sheppard scratched the stubble on his cheek as he went to the fireplace. He glanced at Ronon. Even in the dimming light in the room, it was easy to see he was not happy. There might be some relief at finally being able to do something, but that was the only positive.

Sheppard squatted down and removed the pistol from the ankle holster and slipped it into the right hand pocket of his coat. After lighting the fire, he joined his friend at the window. "See anything?"

"No. Everyone has left the square. It's quiet." Ronon checked the door to the kitchen before speaking again. "What makes you think he won't give us up?"

"Too much to lose." He replied. When he realized Ronon was waiting for an explanation, Sheppard went on. "Dukon's more afraid of losing his daughter than he is of losing anything else. I think he wants off this rock, and knows we can help."

He frowned and walked over to peek through the kitchen door. When he was satisfied the girl was there, he returned to the window. They waited in silence, each imagining the too many directions this could go in, almost all of them not good.

It was some time before Verna brought in a tray with a covered pitcher of steaming liquid, several mugs and slices of a dense, sweet bread slathered with fruit preserves. She set it on the table closest to them and filled two mugs with the hot beverage. She quickly curtsied then went to the fire and began to pile more wood on it. It soon threatened to spill out onto the wide stone hearth. The last half hour had left her cold with shock.

Ronon barely glanced away from the window as he filled one of the mugs and picked up a piece of the bread. He resumed his impatient watch while he ate and drank. Sheppard took the opportunity to talk to the girl. He filled another mug and walked over to where she was standing at one corner of the fireplace and pressed one into her hands. She smiled wanly then stared into the fire.

"Are you alright?" He stood at the other side.

Verna sighed and looked up at him. "I've heard them talking at night, when they think I am asleep. Nesor is not right in the head. He lost his whole family in a Wraith attack on another world when he was a boy. We thought he would kill himself when he lost Merol. He hates the landowners to his core and wants revenge. He will kill the hostages. I know my father and Balen are afraid of what will happen."

"We'll do everything we can to prevent it. There are eleven landowners, right?" He sipped the strong brew that was the Caldean equivalent of coffee. She nodded. "Do you know where the Security Minister is?"

"He and his deputies have been trying to convince the landowners that they must agree to Janen's demands." Her voice was filled with sadness and resignation. "Their greed blinds them to everything that is going on, to the misery and unrest."

"What's taking him so long?" Ronon asked without turning from the window.

"I don't know. Father would not take longer than necessary."

This time, he turned to glare at her. "This could be a trap."

"No, no!" Verna was horrified. She looked from him to Sheppard. "He would not betray you. I swear. He left me here with you, did he not? I am sure he is looking for Balen."

"It's alright. I'm sure he is." Sheppard tried to reassure her. He set his mug down and guided her to a chair. "Just sit here and relax."

He looked at Ronon and nodded toward the window. The Satedan picked up another piece of the bread and resumed his watch, his expression clearly indicating his not being completely convinced. Nothing was said after that. The light outside dwindled quickly as the sun set. Soon, the fire was the only illumination in the room.

It seemed like hours before the door opened again. Dukon entered followed closely by Balen and another man. They recognized the young man as a constable. All three were nervous, but had a determined set to their faces. Verna jumped out of the chair, relieved that her father was back.

"This is my nephew, Soben." Balen put his hand on the young man's shoulder. "Dukon says that you are here for the hostages, Elizabeth Weir and Teyla Emmagan."

"Yeah." Ronon scowled at them. "Where are they?"

"What do you intend to do?" Balen was intimidated by the much larger man, but held his ground.

"We just want to get them out safely. Do you know where they are?" Sheppard spoke, forestalling any threat from his friend. He knew Ronon's patience was at an end. His own was close behind, but he guided them to the fireplace.

Ronon turned to the window again. Soben went to the window on the other side of the door. They silently watched the street outside, occasionally glancing at each other and the three men talking quietly in front of the fire.

"Yes, we know where they are. We also know that Nesor has eight to ten men in the building and three or four more outside, watching for anyone wanting to get in." Balen paused. He took a deep breath before continuing. "There's something else."

Sheppard felt a chill grip his stomach. "What?"

"Nesor sent a finger to Nathal's office two hours ago. It was the small finger from Dessan's right hand."

"How do you know it was his?" Sheppard fought to stay calm.

"We know because Dessan had a scar from an accident on the outside of the finger. That is probably why he chose it." Belan looked from Sheppard to Ronon and back again. "What do you plan to do, Sheppard? Nesor and his men will kill the hostages, including your friends if we try to rescue them."

"Will he wait for the deadline?"

Dukon and Balen looked at each other. They both nodded, but it was Dukon who answered. "Yes, I believe so, but not a moment longer."

"Some of these men are friends and family. We do not want to see anyone hurt, despite what they have done."

"Look, we don't want to hurt anyone. We just want our people back." Sheppard was ready to scream at them. He bit back the urge to take out the Wraith stunner and shoot someone. "You just show us where they are and…"

"How? How will you free them?" Verna asked. She looked at him anxiously. She had disappeared into the kitchen when her father arrived, but soon returned and stood quietly to one side. "Nesor has too many men for just two of you."

"We know what we're doing." His voice hardened as he looked at her and the other Caldeans. "Just get us there and let us do what we came to do. We won't hurt anyone unless have to, but we will get our people out."

Balen exhaled heavily and nodded. "Soben will take you, but we must wait a little. There are too many people still awake and watching. Nesor's men will also be alert. We must wait a little, until the men on watch outside are cold and tired. It will be easier and safer."

"Where will you be?" Sheppard asked.

"I will be on duty with a few…friends. We can keep the patrols away from the area."

"No, no. We don't want to make them suspicious. Let the patrols take their normal routes. Besides, if the lookouts are watching you, they won't see us." Sheppard smiled grimly. "Where is the Security Minister?"

Balen spoke with bitter scorn. "He was to go to a gathering of the landowners at the Folstin farm tonight. They have been talking about what to do for two days, bickering about who would be most damaged by letting the people leave. One of the lieutenants went to fetch him. It will be the middle of the night before he can return."

"I'm surprised they didn't come into town. Isn't Dessan a landowner?"

Dukon exhaled loudly. "Yes, but he is a fool and his family prefer him in town. They would not be quick to inconvenience themselves too much on his account. Besides, they are just unsure enough about the danger that they do not wish to leave the safety of their farms."

"It is likely that they are weighing the probability of losing their cheap labor against the loss of a lesser member of the family." Balen added. He shook his head slowly. "Their grandfathers remembered their grandfathers' stories of the Wraith. They were honorable men, but this generation has known only easiness and plenty. It has made them fat and greedy."

"And, what about the diplomats?" Sheppard was incredulous. He glanced at Ronon just in time to see his black expression before he turned back to the window.

The Caldeans looked at each other. Dukon finally responded. "They have never believed that Nesor or Janen or anyone was serious or a threat of any kind. They rarely come to town and do not understand, do not see, the desperation and resentment growing here."

Verna spoke for the first time. "They don't care."

He father reached out and squeezed her hand. He turned back to Sheppard. "No, they don't. They forget that the Wraith does not see the difference between the rich and the poor. They only see that they are comfortable and well fed. As long as Nathal keeps the peace, they do not care. I just hope he can convince them of the possible danger from your people."

"What's he like?" Sheppard asked, wanting to find out everything about everyone that might try to intervene. He and Ronon needed to know what they were up against if Nathal came back into town.

"He's a hard man, but mostly fair. There are 120 constables in all. We have 23 on our side. Some of the others are not so even-handed in their duties." Balen shook his head in disgust. He was following Sheppard's line of questioning. "The landowners have their own men to keep order on the farms. They are much less disciplined and are more likely to cause injury before asking questions. If any of them come into town before you get through the Ancestral Ring, be wary of them."

"How many are there?" Ronon asked from his post.

"Each farm has 25 to 30 guards, except Remen. He has the biggest farm and 37 men to keep the people in line. They have a uniform similar to ours, but each farm has its own color here." Balen indicated the collar and cuff of his own tunic. "They are bullies and well armed."

Sheppard downed the last of his drink and set the mug on a nearby table. "Okay, now tell us everything you can about where they are being held."


	5. Chapter 5

Soben pointed to a building in the middle of the block. Sheppard squeezed his arm and the young man quietly melted into the shadows. He was to wait far enough away so as not to be accidentally seen but close enough to be useful if needed. Balen had sent him to show the way as he went on duty, a watch that would bring his unit to the area. Nesor's men would probably be jumpy with the weight of what they were doing, but to stop all normal movement might create suspicion.

The building was two stories tall and about sixty feet wide. Dukon said it was a warehouse for milled grains for the bakeries located in nearby streets. As with most of the buildings here, it doubled as a home and business. Sheppard and Ronon recognized it from the stroll they took the afternoon before. The warehouse, and street, had been busy with people coming and going.

To the left, a larger building abutted their target. Two small, two story workshops were on the right with a narrow laneway that led to an alley in the back between the warehouse and the first workshop. A large double door in the middle dominated the ground floor of the façade. There were two shuttered windows on the right side, one on the ground floor and another above it on what must be a second floor. A much smaller double door to a loft above the main one was the only other visible opening. A heavy beam protruded above it, a block and pulley dangling from the end. The door was closed, but not as firmly as it should have been.

The lookouts were well hidden, but Ronon easily spotted the men watching the street. They did not have the finesse necessary to hide from an experienced hunter. Nervousness prevented them from remaining absolutely still. One was behind the loft door. The movement would be missed if one wasn't watching it closely. Two more lookouts huddled on the roof. They were crouched low behind a once-decorative wall along the front of the roof, but shivered in the cold.

Feeble street lamps did little to help the crescent moon trying to peak through the clouds, making it easier to steal closer to the tiny lane between the buildings. Ronon led the way with nearly silent footsteps. They moved as close as they could without being seen and waited. On cue, Balen's unit approached the other end of the block. They stopped in the middle of the intersection and spoke in low tones, but showing little interest in anything in the street.

After several seconds, Ronon nudged Sheppard and the two of them crossed the street and slipped into the lane. They stopped dead when they heard muffled talking from behind the wall on their right. When the speakers continued to talk, Ronon and Sheppard moved on.

The alley was not really an alley. It was only a space between the buildings. There was no way into the gap from the street except for the lane Sheppard and Ronon used. Even with eyesight well adapted to the darkness, it was almost impossible to see anything. Only vague shapes were visible.

Two men were guarding the solitary entrance on back of the building, an oversized door closer to the far end from the lane. Well, guarding was not really the right word for it. They were not intent on watching for intruders. Instead, they whispered to each other and kept moving in an effort to stay warm.

As Sheppard and Ronon watched and listened, the door opened. A man emerged, hissed a quick admonition for the guards to be quiet then stepped back inside. The dim light that shone from within confirmed that only two men were outside.

After waiting for another full minute, Sheppard tapped Ronon on the shoulder. The Satedan moved like a large, hungry cat stalking its dinner. He grabbed one around the mouth from behind as he hit the other. Sheppard barely had time to catch the unconscious man before Ronon knocked out the second. They soundlessly lowered both to the ground in the deep shadow.

They pressed against the door and listened for movement on the other side. On hearing nothing, Sheppard opened it quietly and checked inside. There was barely enough light to see a large open space that took up most of the interior before him. He could not see or hear anyone, so they stole inside and pulled the door to behind them.

The light came from a doorway set about fifteen feet from the back wall on the left. Just the other side of the door, a narrow set of open stairs climbed to a loft above. Another door was visible at the top of the stairs. The layout, at least what they could see of it, was just as Belan and Soben described. They knew early that morning Teyla had been on the ground floor and Elizabeth on the top. They hoped it was still true.

Voices filtered through the wall as they waited and listened for any sign that their presence had been detected. They could not see the man guarding the loft door. The loft was deep enough that he would have needed to walk back a dozen feet to see them. Piles of grain sacks also blocked the line of sight to the door. When they were satisfied, Sheppard climbed the stairs as Ronon waited at the lower door.

Sheppard stopped and quickly peeked in then looked back down at Ronon. There was just enough light for them to see each other. Sheppard signaled and they turned to enter at the same time. The hall was short and ended in another that ran parallel to the side of the building. A lantern at the junction, containing a thick candle, hung from the ceiling and provided the faint light he had seen from outside.

"Who are you?"

Sheppard heard a deep male voice that wasn't Ronon then a loud thud. The whole building seemed to shake. It was soon followed by the sound of the Satedan's weapon firing. He swore under his breath as he hurried through the door. Footsteps pounded behind him. He turned in time to see a figure approaching the door from the direction of the loft. The guard was coming his way fast. He pulled the trigger on the Wraith stunner and the figure collapsed in the doorway.

Ronon's gun cut off another shout and he heard several thuds as bodies were slammed into walls or fell on the floor. Sheppard swiftly checked around the corner of the short hallway as the chaos erupted below him. A large, burly man hurried out of a room at the far end of the hall and headed straight for him. Sheppard saw him bring up one of the compact crossbows carried by the constables. He fired as the man pulled the trigger. He felt the bolt brush past his leg.

Momentum propelled the man to within a few feet of the Colonel, but he finally fell, unconscious. Sheppard quickly checked behind him, straining for sounds of movement on this level. Instead, he heard running across the roof. The lookouts.

The single minute it took to find Elizabeth felt like both an instant and an hour. Sheppard checked the first room only to find it empty. He tried the next door. It was locked by a sliding bolt on the outside. He slid the bolt back and pushed the door open, the stunner ready. In the light of another candle, he could see a portly, middle-aged man dressed in crumpled finery cowering in the corner.

"Please. Please, don't hurt me!"

Sheppard glanced up and down the hallway then looked back at the frightened man. "Who are you?"

"Muh…muh…Minister Hodda. Who…who are you?"

"Damn." Sheppard mumbled. He had almost forgotten about the two Caldean hostages. He spoke softly. "Stay here and stay down. Do not open the door."

Hodda nodded convulsively and ducked behind the bed. Sheppard pulled the door closed again.

He quickly glanced up and down the hall. The third door was unlocked so he carefully opened it. The dark interior seemed to be a storeroom piled with cloth sacks full of something. He vaguely wondered if it was flour. The sounds of the melee below him suddenly stopped, leaving only the pounding of footsteps on the loft floor. They were headed in his direction. He stepped back into the room.

"What's going on? Nesor? Selan?" A man's voice whispered nervously. The running suddenly stopped as the two men found their fallen comrade. They spoke excitedly for several seconds then the floorboards creaked, indicating the men were moving again. The same voice whispered nervously. "Nesor?"

Sheppard leaned out of the door and fired. One of the men was hit in the chest and silently fell in a heap. The other man froze, looking at his friend. The Colonel fired again, and he fell, too.

"Drop it." The voice was flat, toneless.

Sheppard slowly turned, more than a few choice expletives in three languages going through his head. The last door was open. Elizabeth and a young man stood in the doorway. The man nudged her as he took a step back. She moved out of the door, leaving only his hands and forearms visible.

"Stop."

She stopped, but had moved just far enough to show the crossbow he held at her back. Sheppard could see she was pale and shivering.

"Elizabeth?"

"I said drop it. Drop your weapon." The man raised his weapon a fraction of an inch. "I have nothing to lose. I will kill her."

Sheppard let the stunner fall and kicked it a few feet away.

"Who are you?" The man stepped fully into the doorway, allowing Sheppard to see him. He was just an average looking man, still young in body. There was something haunted in his eyes, though, that was discernable even in the candle light. He knew this was Nesor. Dukon's description of him was accurate.

"Sheppard." He raised his hands slightly. His eyes did not waiver from the man's face, but he could see her. "Elizabeth? Are you okay?"

She nodded as her eyes closed slowly and opened.

"We have to stop meeting like this." Sheppard's eyes did not move from her captor. "Are you Nesor?"

"Yes. What are you doing here? Janen left instructions that the hostages would die if anyone came looking for them."

"I've just come to fetch our people. I don't want any trouble with you."

"It's too late for that now. Leave now, or you will be taking a dead body back with you."

Sheppard didn't move. "Look, we can help you and your people."

Nesor snorted derisively. "Yeah, I'm sure you can."

"We will help your people, Nesor." Elizabeth spoke for the first time.

Sheppard saw hesitation in his eyes for an all too brief moment. It disappeared and a harder edge than before emerged. He shook his head.

"No. You cannot help me. It's too late."

They realized that Nesor could not be reasoned with.

----------

The muffled noise of the assault woke Teyla from a restless sleep. She sat up and went to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen. She heard the distinctive sound of Ronon's weapon and began to pound on the door.

"Help! In here!" She listened intently then pounded again. "Ronon! John! In here!"

Teyla heard Ronon's weapon fire twice, and pounded again. She heard Ronon's deep voice say her name.

"Here! I'm in here!"

"Stand back."

She jumped away from the door a split second before he kicked it open. Ronon stood alone in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" He looked her up and down as the dim light from the hallway spilled into her prison.

"Yes, yes. I am unharmed, but I believe that I have been drugged." She was a little wobbly as she hurried through the door. "Where are Elizabeth and the others? I was told she is also here, but the rest were allowed to leave."

"Upstairs. Sheppard's looking for her. Rollins and his team came back right after you were taken." Ronon produced a small pistol and handed it to her. He then guided her along the same hall that she had seen on the few trips out of the room. "Come on."

----------

"If you kill her, what are you going to bargain with?" Sheppard asked, trying to buy time.

"I won't kill her with the first shot." Nesor shifted the aim of his weapon a few inches. It was now pointing at her shoulder.

"I thought you wanted to free your people. How is this going to help?"

"You should ask the landowners about that. They are responsible for the situation." Her eyes widened in fear as he grabbed her shoulder. "They know what they have to do."

"Wait!" Sheppard held his left hand out. "We…"

"Get out. Now!" Nesor raised voice was tinged with anger. He went from dead calm to agitated in an instant.

"Okay, okay." He took a small step away, looking at her with an unreadable expression. "I'm sorry, Elizabeth. We'll figure this out."

"Please hurry." She said as Nesor began to pull her back.

He kept his gaze on Nesor as he began to turn away. "Just remember Kolya."

She frowned at him then caught her breath in understanding.

"Sheppard!" Ronon shouted from below. Nesor looked down the hall, his face turning into a hate filled snarl.

The Colonel pulled the pistol from his pocket. His eyes flicked from Nesor's face to Elizabeth and he pointed to the floor. She jerked out of her captor's grasp and ducked. Sheppard brought his weapon up and fired.

Nesor's finger jerked the trigger on the crossbow as he was hit. The bolt hit the wall harmlessly.

"Elizabeth!" Sheppard jumped forward as she straightened.

"I'm okay. I'm okay." She leaned against the wall for support.

"I'm serious, you know. We have to stop meeting like this." Sheppard picked up the stunner and moved toward her.

She smiled and nodded. "Who is he? What happened? Where is Janen?"

"I'll explain later. We have to get out of here." He blocked her view when she turned to look at Nesor. The caliber of the pistol was small, but Sheppard shot to kill and the bullet had done its job.

"Sheppard!" Ronon called softly from the stairs outside.

"We're coming." He replied as he helped Elizabeth step over the unconscious men littering the hall. She was shivering almost uncontrollably. He stopped at the top of the stairs. "Look around for the radios. Wait, wait. You got one of the ministers locked up down there?"

"Yeah."

"Leave him there."

Ronon nodded. He and Teyla disappeared through the door. Sheppard took off his coat and helped Elizabeth into it then handed her the pistol. "Wait here while I look around. Okay?"

She looked wide-eyed at the pistol then at him. "Elizabeth, just wait here a minute. Let me know if that door opens. Okay?"

Suddenly seeming to find herself, she nodded. "Yes, of course."

Sheppard quickly went from room to room, leaving the minister until last. He opened the door and looked inside.

"Minister?"

He heard a whimper from behind the bed and went inside. "Stay down. We think there may be more of them. Someone will come back for you. Understand?"

"Yes. Thank you."

Hodda tried to flatten himself against the floor even more as Sheppard quickly scanned the room. He knew the equipment wouldn't be there, but had to check. After glancing at the minister one more time, he backed out of the room and closed the door again.

Elizabeth and Sheppard reached the bottom of the stairs just as Teyla and Ronon emerged from their search. Teyla shook her head in answer to Sheppard's silent question. They saw the door opening slowly. Ronon and Sheppard raised their weapons, ready to fire.

"Wait, it's Soben." The young man pushed the door wider and stepped in. He was followed by three more men. "You must hurry.'

"What about these guys?" Ronon jerked his head towards the hallway where two unconscious bodies could be seen.

"Are they dead?"

Sheppard replied quickly. "No. Don't worry, they're just stunned. They'll come around in a little while. Oh, by the way, Hodda is upstairs and Dessan in there. They're alive, too."

"We know what to do." Soben looked around. "Janen has been found. Ancestors be praised, he is alive. Others are coming to help now."

Sheppard leaned close to the young man. "I'm sorry. Nesor's dead."

He thought for a moment then nodded. "I understand. You know the way to Rolth's? Please, be careful. Nathal and his men will be back in town soon."

"Do you know where the radios are?" Sheppard asked the young man. On seeing his confusion, he held up his fingers to indicate the size. "They're about this big, black and have buttons on them. If you see them, or anything else that might be ours, bring them."

Soben nodded. "I will, I promise."

---------

Twenty minutes later, Dukon opened the door to let them in. He smiled hesitantly and held his arm out to the fire, which was well fueled and roaring. "Please come in! Warm yourselves. We did not think you would return so quickly. Verna."

"Yes, Father." The girl curtsied several times then disappeared into the kitchen. She was both excited and flustered at their return with the two women.

"Dukon, this is Dr. Elizabeth Weir and Teyla Emmagan. Ladies, this is Dukon, and that was his daughter, Verna. We've been staying here." Sheppard introduced them. They smiled and nodded. The innkeeper bowed.

"Please, you must be cold. Warm yourselves. Verna is bringing hot food and drink for you." He held his hand out to the fire again.

Elizabeth and Teyla gratefully headed for the fireplace and stood as close as possible to the flames. Neither thought they would be warm again. Teyla removed her coat to allow the fire to heat her body quickly.

Sheppard rubbed cold hands together as he watched them. The anger was still there. It was slowly dissipating, but it was still deep inside him. He glanced at Ronon, who had taken to watching at the window again. There was just enough light in the room to reveal the Satedan also harbored the same anger.

Dukon looked from one to the other. He spoke softly. "Nesor?"

Sheppard frowned and shook his head. "Sorry, I didn't have a choice. Everyone else is alright."

The innkeeper's reaction mirrored Soben's. He thought for a moment then nodded. "He is at peace. I am sorry. What will you do now?"

Elizabeth and Teyla turned at the question.

"Well, some friends of ours should be here in a few hours." Sheppard smiled at them. "Unless we can find their radios, we'll need to wait for them."

"Did you not bring a radio?" Teyla asked, disbelief in her voice.

"We don't have radios or IDCs." Ronon said from the window, looking pointedly at the Colonel."

"How did you expect to get back through the Gate?" Elizabeth stared, incredulous that they would come without the equipment. Something caught her eye. "John, you're bleeding!"

"Yeah, I know. The bolt from that's guy's crossbow nicked me." He looked down at his leg and frowned. It was beginning to hurt.

"Do you have any bandages?" Elizabeth asked Dukon. He nodded and went behind the bar. "John, come and sit down."

"Look, it's just a nick. Honest." He protested as they pulled him to a chair in front of the fire.

Teyla ripped open the trouser leg. The bolt had skimmed the side of his leg about mid-thigh, leaving a nasty cut which was bleeding freely. "It is not very bad, but it is more than a nick, John."

Dukon returned with a small box. It contained a couple of rolls of clean cloth and two small bottles. He pulled one bottle out and handed it to her. "This one will prevent infection."

Sheppard grimaced. "It stings, doesn't it?"

The innkeeper chuckled. "Yes, how did you know?"

"They always do." He inhaled sharply and his eyes began to water when Teyla dribbled some of the clear liquid across the cut. She slapped his hand as he tried to grab the bandage from her. She wrapped it around the leg and secured it with a snug knot.

"That should take care of it until Dr. Beckett can look at it. You may need stitches." Teyla smiled warmly then stood up and gave the box to Dukon. She turned to Elizabeth. "John should stay off of his leg. Walking around would cause further bleeding."

"Well, then walking to the Gate is out of the question." Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him and frowned. "Is the Daedalus coming?"

"Should be here in six or seven hours."

"We think." Ronon threw over his shoulder.

"You're not sure?"

Sheppard glared at Ronon. "Well, we didn't get a chance to talk to Col. Caldwell before we left, but Rodney was going to let him know what was going on."

"Why didn't you bring a radio or IDC?" Elizabeth sat down. The events of the last few days were catching up to her. She felt…brittle, and now she was taking it out on him. "Some rescue."

"Look, we weren't sure what we were going to find here. The note said they would kill you both if there was any hint of a rescue attempt. We couldn't risk anything being found on us that could be connected with you." Sheppard's tone was a little defensive, but kept it even. "Look, the Daedalus couldn't get here before the deadline. They'll find us with the subQ transmitters. They can beam us to the Gate and we'll be home five minutes after they get here."

Verna came back with two jugs of hot Caldean tea and several mugs. She set them down on a table near the fire then returned to the kitchen. A few seconds later, she returned with a large pot, bowls and spoons on a tray. When no-one moved, she began to serve a thick soup, passing bowls and spoons to Elizabeth and Teyla first.

A moment later, there was a knock on the door. Dukon opened it to Balen. The constable smiled and pulled two radios and IDCs from his coat.

"Are these what you need?"

----------

Sheppard stopped in the doorway to Elizabeth's office. He was surprised when Beckett told him she had been released from the infirmary less 24 hours after their return to Atlantis. The doctor said the drug that had been administered to her and Teyla was quite mild and would have no lasting effects. Apart from that and the possibility of catching cold from spending three days locked up in a frigid room, they were physically fine. Sheppard pressed him further and Beckett said that he had referred both of them to Kate Heightmeyer.

"Elizabeth." He raised an eyebrow at her. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, John, please sit down. Col. Caldwell is reporting from Caldea."

The Daedalus was still in orbit around the planet. She was backing up two negotiators, one from her own crew and one from Atlantis.

"Colonel." Sheppard said in the direction of the subspace radio transceiver as he limped to one of the chairs opposite her desk. She winced as she watched him carefully lower himself onto the seat.

"Colonel." The familiar voice replied. "How are you doing?'

"Uh, fine, Sir. Thank you." Sheppard frowned. "You wanted to talk to me?"

They heard Caldwell clear his throat. "Not me, Colonel. Other than the fact that I think what you did was highly dangerous and you were lucky to get away with it, I have nothing to say."

"Yes, Sir."

"How are things going there, Colonel?" Elizabeth quickly changed the subject.

"It's a little tense, but I think we'll get a decision by tomorrow. I think the landowners have seen the writing on the wall, so to speak."

"That's good to hear." Elizabeth smiled, but Sheppard could see she was still shaky. She took a deep breath. "Do you need anything?"

"No, I think everything is on track, thank you. I'll let you know when we have any news. Caldwell out."

She looked at Sheppard. "Are you okay?"

He waved off the concern. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a little sore. How are you?"

"Oh, fine, thank you." She looked down at her hands.

He grew concerned. "What's wrong? You didn't need me here to talk to Caldwell. What is it?"

She shook her head once then looked up at him, a hesitant smile on her face. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" That was unexpected. "What for?"

"Last night. You and Ronon. You saved our lives and I repaid you by getting all…"

"What? Snarky?" Sheppard grinned at her then held up a hand. "Don't. You'd been through a lot."

"So had Teyla." She protested.

"Teyla's been on plenty of missions. She's used to dangerous field work, Elizabeth. You aren't." He exhaled heavily. "Look, you were cold and had been drugged for three days. Give yourself a break."

She rolled her eyes up to the ceiling then closed them for a moment. When she opened them again, she looked at the man sitting across from her. "John, just let me apologize, and let me thank you for coming to rescue us."

He nodded. "Apology accepted. And, you're welcome."

Elizabeth smiled again and it seemed that a little of the stress had melted away. She stood up.

"Now, can I buy you a cup of coffee?"

The End


End file.
